Tricks and Tips for Traveling With Homemade Formula

So you’re getting ready to leave town for the holidays? How fun! How’s the packing going?

Shoes. Check.

Clothes. Check.

Socks. Check.

Traveling with homemade formula? Hmmm.

Traveling with the 14 different ingredients used to make the homemade baby formula can definitely pose a challenge even to the most organized parent.

What if you are flying a long distance for more than just a day or two with raw milk? How in the world do you pull that off?

Careful planning of exactly how much formula you will use while you are out of town and the most effective method of transporting it with the least amount of hassle will save you from {gasp} having to resort to commercial formula as a stop gap while you are away.

Resorting to commercial formula while on vacation even if organic when your baby is accustomed to the whole, nourishing homemade formula is sure to wreck your vacation with sleepless nights and colicky days from a very gassy and uncomfortable baby.

Don’t risk it!

And, have you heard that even organic commercial baby formulas use genetically modified ingredients?

You just cannot trust anything made in a factory anymore, especially if it’s for your precious baby!

There are just way too many loopholes and games manufacturers play to get around the rules. If you need a decent baby formula, you must make it yourself and this includes while you are traveling!

Resign yourself to the fact that when you travel, you must figure out a way to take these homemade baby formula ingredients with you.

Here are a few tips and ideas that may help you make the process a little less stressful:

Easy Traveling With the Homemade Formula

Ask a friend or relative at your destination to source the ingredients you need before you arrive. This is probably the easiest way to travel by not having to take anything with you and having the ingredients ready to go upon your arrival.

If you don’t have a friend or relative at your destination who is on board with the importance of the homemade baby formula, contact a local Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader at your destination and ask if there are any Moms in that area you could contact ahead of time who are currently using the formula who could source the ingredients for you.

If there are no Moms at your destination who are using the homemade formula, try to at least find someone who has access to raw milk who can have some fresh raw milk ready for you when you arrive. Then, you only have to travel with the rest of the ingredients which are far less bulky.

What To Do If You Must Take ALL the Ingredients With You.

When travelingl with homemade formula, pack all the ingredients except the raw milk and the liquid whey in a small carry-on bag. The oils do not travel well if checked at baggage claim (I know this from experience) and tend to leak all over the place no matter how securely you fasten the lids. If questioned at security, just say they are particular foods required because of a special diet. Pack the oils in the labeled bottles they come in and put each in a separate ziplock bag just to be safe in case they leak. You don’t want any unmarked bottles that might be taken away by TSA.

The remaining dry ingredients should be included in the separate, small carry-on bag as well. Keep the ingredients in the containers they come in so that security can see what they are. You don’t want some zealous TSA official taking away your lactose, for example, thinking it is cocaine because it is in an unlabeled ziplock bag! I know this seems funny and perhaps far-fetched, but stranger things have happened at airport security!

Include several glass bottles of already prepared homemade formula in ziplock bags with ice packs in the small carry-on bag. You never know when your flight will be delayed so you need to have an ample supply of formula already made in case you don’t arrive on schedule and your baby gets hungry. You can always get a cup of hot water at an airport cafe to quickly warm up one of the glass bottles for your baby if need be.

Freeze the amount of raw milk and liquid whey you need for the entire trip and place these containers (not glass) in the smallest cooler you can and tape it shut with packing tape. Remove any labels that indicate the milk is raw to save yourself any questioning or hassle from TSA if traveling to a state with different laws on raw milk than your own. TSA won’t be able to tell the milk is raw from just looking at it and will assume it is pasteurized. Make sure you put your name and destination address on the cooler as well. Check the cooler at baggage claim. The milk will stay safely frozen for the duration of your trip and you can quickly thaw some in a sinkful of warm water when you arrive at your destination.

Don’t Forget About Water and the Blender!

One of the key ingredients in the homemade baby formula is clean, pure, filtered water. If you can’t be sure about the water source where you are traveling, don’t forget to take some of your own with you! Freeze it and put it in the cooler with the raw milk and liquid whey and plan to check it at baggage claim.

Be sure to double check that your destination has measuring spoons, cups and an appropriate blending device. Take your own if in doubt.

Do you have tips for traveling with homemade formula? Please add your experiences in the comments section for other parents to read and learn from!

Never Heard of Homemade Formula Before?

Check my detailed video class on how to make both the raw milk and hypoallergenic broth based baby formulas. It only takes about 10 minutes to make a batch once you learn how and making a top quality, wholesome homemade formula costs about half what the organic commercial formulas cost per ounce!

The Healthy Home Economist holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Mother to 3 healthy children, blogger, and best-selling author, she writes about the practical application of Traditional Diet and evidence-based wellness within the modern household. Her work has been featured by USA Today, The New York Times, ABC, NBC, and many others.

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